Pearl's Rejuvenation
by 0Zerotolerence
Summary: Pearl is treated like a slave in her own home. Her mother is abusive and her father is neglectful. What happens when someone offers her an opening for happiness? (Prequel to "Destruction of Property", telling Pearl's story about her descent into drug addiction. I hope you enjoy. THIS STORY IS RATED MATURE FOR DRUG USE, ADDICTION, SWEARING, AND SEXUAL CONTENT.)
1. An Escape

Pearl's Rejuvenation

* * *

"Pearl!" A woman's voice rang throughout a medium sized house. This woman stood in her bedroom, practically looming over the queen sized bed her and her husband shared, hands on her hips. The reason this woman seemed to be seething is that her worthless excuse for a daughter neglected to make up the bed.

Hurried footsteps could be heard from down the hall. The woman turned to watch her fourteen year old daughter appear in the doorway, breathing heavily, her peach colored hair disheveled.

Pearl's attire consisted of a loose, white tank top, strewn with stains of various colors, and bright blue shorts also covered in stains. Her eyes were blue, and not only did she have deep shadows under them from restless nights, they were also riddled with fear. One look between her mother and the cluttered blankets on the bed was all she needed to realize she was in trouble.

"Yes mother?" Pearl asked timidly, knowing from past experiences not to apologize outright.

"Why is my bed not made up?" Pearl's mother asked, her nose turned up in disgust at the sight of the girl. If Pearl wasn't useful to her, she doubt she'd miss the dirty thing.

"I.." Pearl started, but paused. She was about to make an excuse for herself, but stopped. If she even tried to defend herself, her mother would attack. So she said what she's been taught to.

"I neglected my chores to study for the upcoming finals." Pearl said, straightening her posture. "I have no excuse to replace a ten minute job with an hour of studying. Please punish me."

The woman studied her daughter for a few moments. For a split second, she was almost proud of the girl for her dignified look, ready to receive the pain sure to come. But it only lasted for a second. Pride was quickly replaced with anger, and the woman stepped forward, swinging the back of her right hand against Pearl's cheek.

The knuckles stung, and Pearl wanted to cry out in pain as her head was turned to the side, but she bit her tongue. Any noise, and her mother would continue. Instead, she allowed tears to form in her eyes, and looked at her mother once more.

"You're damn right." The woman spat. "Your father works his ass off to keep us fed. My job is to make sure an ungrateful cunt like you doesn't take his work for granted."

"Yes ma'am." Pearl agreed, nodding.

"Repeat what I just said."

Pearl paused. Her parents had taught her not to swear, or else her mouth would be washed out with soap. One time she had accidentally uttered the word "crap" when she stumped her toe against the couch. She had her mouth thoroughly washed and went without dinner for three days. But that punishment was nothing compared to the fear of disobeying her parents.

"I.. I'm an ungrateful c-cunt.." She started, feeling the bile rise in her throat as she uttered that oh so horrible word, yet more tears stinging her eyes. "..and I shouldn't take my father's work for granted."

"Good." Pearl's mother said, and for a second, just a second, Pearl relaxed. But her mother didn't let her relax for long. "After you make up the bed, wash out your mouth. And no dinner tonight."

Pearl could hardly believe this. She was being further punished for obeying her mother with no complaint. Was this woman really going to be that cold hearted.

"B-but I said what you told me t-"

Pearl was interrupted by another backhanded from her mother. Her cheek was already stinging, but now she felt it in her teeth. The girl let out a whimper, backing away from her mother as she brought both hands to her cheek, closing her eyes.

"Don't you talk back to me you worthless shit!" The woman yelled, engulfed in rage. "Do what I say!"

"I'm sorry!" Pearl whimpered out, tears streaming from her eyes, running down her hands covering her cheek. She didn't dare open her eyes to look at her mother now, hoping being sightless would deter the woman's hand. "I'll do everything you say."

"Good. Now get fucking started."

Pearl heard the footsteps of her mother leaving the room. She didn't move from her spot until she was positive that the woman wouldn't be coming back. After several seconds, standing in the same spot, Pearl finally opened her eyes. She looked at the bed in front of her and, with a small sigh, began her work.

* * *

This has been Pearl's life, ever since she was born.

Neglected as a baby, left with relatives from time to time to be taken care of, punished unconditionally at the slightest of errors.

Most children raised in this environment would rebel when shown others lives. When sent to school, most children would see the world before them and begin misbehaving on purpose. Those children would be kicked out, sent to a foster home and resent most other adults. But not Pearl.

Pearl believed that this was just the hand fate dealt to her. She was meant to be treated like trash, only conceived by her parents to wait on their every command. A Straight A student, always minds herself in school, a favorite of the teachers. Pearl was a saint to everyone outside of her home. But to her parents, she was just as important as a rat whose body has decayed under a mouse trap. The only worth she was to her parents was that she hardly ever ate. That made Pearl much cheaper to take care of, and the only nice clothes she had were for school.

Of course they gave Pearl a little money for herself, but saying "a little" is being generous. Throughout her life, with a meager allowance of fifty cents a months, six dollars a year, Pearl has acquired eighty-eight dollars and fifty cents. The only reason Pearl has saved it for this long was because it was the only thing her parents had ever given to her.

* * *

But now, as she washing her mouth out with hand soap, gagging on the taste, she wanted to buy herself something. She wanted to be selfish, wanted to be free for at least a little amount of time.

After rinsing her mouth of the soapy taste with water, Pearl made her way to her room to continue studying for her finals which would start the day after tomorrow. Her ninth grade year was coming to an end.

Really, if it wasn't for her mother's disability payments, Pearl would never be going to school in the first place. Her father's income was put to the bills and groceries, keeping his family alive. He didn't have enough money to waste on Pearl's education, or so he told her.

She knew that he was full of it. He always came home with gifts for his wife. A new watch, a fancy coat, a prada handbag. Pearl knew that he had plenty to pay for her education, he just didn't care.

But Pearl didn't care either. She poured over her textbooks on her twin bed, legs crossed under her as she studied for the rest of the day. When her father came home from work, he didn't visit Pearl's room to greet her. When the sun dived below the horizon, Pearl wasn't called for dinner. She was used to being ignored, as well as pushed around. But as she closed her books and stored them under her, turning off her light to get ready for bed, she smiled at the plastic jar of quarters that rested on her nightstand.

Tomorrow, Pearl would treat herself. Maybe she would go down the street, buy something at the corner convenience store. Eighty dollars would get her a lot of sweets.

Pearl shivered in excitement, kicking her feet on her bed as she lay down. She wanted sleep to come to her for once. She wanted to hurry and give herself happiness.

* * *

Pearl is walking down the street, struggling to carry her money, again just dressed in her dirty stained tank top and shorts, flip flops on her feet. Even before she left the house, she was forced to pour out over half of her change so that she could carry the jar at all. But thirty dollars worth of coins was more than enough to get few candy bars.

Though, she did worry about being jumped by some punk. Logan Square, Chicago wasn't necessarily the safest place in the world. Last time Pearl checked, the homicide rate in this part of the city was between ten and fifteen people a year. Carrying a jar of coins was like having a big target on her back.

Speaking of which.. "Hey kid."

Pearl turned to see the source of the voice, terrified that the person calling out to her would be wielding a firearm. Instead, it was a small, blonde, slightly chubby woman wearing a red, zip up jacket and blue jeans, standing with her back on the wall that Pearl had just passed. Why the woman was dressed so heavily when Summer was just around the corner, Pearl had no idea.

"Watcha doing with all those coins?"

"Oh, well, umm.." Pearl just wasn't used to being talked to by anyone outside of her home and school. Usually, people ignored her. She guessed carrying a large jar of quarters would change someone's opinion.

"Cuz I sell the good stuff, you know." The woman continued, not letting Pearl answer her question.

"You mean drugs?" Pearl asked automatically. Her school was warned of the dangers of drugs, such as meth, cocaine, and marijuana. Most of the students didn't care, though. They got their hands one whatever they could, and even a girl called Malachite offered Pearl a puff of weed while in a high. Pearl refused of course.

"Nah, just some plants." The woman said with a shrug. "The type that make you feel really good. How much do you have in that jar, anyway?"

"Thirty dollars." Pearl answered, again automatically. She almost cursed herself as soon as the words came out of her mouth.

The woman let out a low whistle, her smile wide. "That'll get you an eighth of an ounce. That's more than most kids your age can get."

"An eighth of what?" Pearl asked. Again, the words just slipped from her mouth. Her parent's punishments left a Pavlov-like impression on Pearl, like she has to answer any question asked of her without hesitation. That might end up being the death of her today.

"You never smoked in your life, have you?" The woman asked, again not waiting for an answer as she continued. "I mean weed, kid. Marijuana. Grass. Pot. You know, the stuff school tells you about."

"So you _are_ selling drugs." Pearl stated, clutching her jar of quarters to her body protectively.

"Weed isn't a drug." The woman retorted. She sighed and reached into the pockets of her jacket and pulled out something that looked like a cigarette. Except, Pearl had a pretty good idea that's not what the thing was. "It's a plant. All natural. People just make it seem dangerous, but all it does is make you feel good."

"..I dunno." Pearl couldn't believe she was actually considering this woman's offer.

"Tell you what." The woman started. She pulled a lighter from her other pocket, igniting it. Pearl watched in mixed emotions of curiosity and fear as the end of the roll of hemp was lit. The woman put the lighter back in her pocket and, surprisingly, held the roll out for Pearl to take. "First puff is free. Try it out, and if you don't like it, you can be on your way."

Pearl couldn't believe herself. Before she could think, she had placed her jar on the ground and reached for the joint held out for her to take. It was as if her mind were a blur, holding the unlit side of the roll to her lips. She inhaled, and instantly began to cough, doubling over.

Holding the joint between her fingers, careful not to drop it, she clutched at her chest with her other hand, wheezing as she tried to steady her breath. The blonde woman just laughed.

"Yeah, first time is always the hardest." She watched as Pearl slowly got herself under control. When Pearl finally could control her breath, she stood up straight. One would think that some who just had a coughing fit wouldn't be smiling. But Pearl was.

The teenager looked back at her jar of quarters on the ground, then back at the woman who was attempting to sell illegal substances to her. Words weren't needed. The woman understood Pearl's expression completely.

"The name's Sadie." The woman introduced herself, holding out her hand for Pearl to take. "Sadie Miller."

Pearl looked down at the hand held out for her. She found herself taking it. "Pearl." She whispered before bringing the roll of marijuana to her lips again.

"Well Pearl.." Sadie started, shaking the teenager's hand. "I think we're gonna get along just fine."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **So to recap, this is supposed to be the story of how Pearl falls into an abyss of drug use and climbs back up again. If you haven't read my Lapidot story "Destruction of Property", I suggest you look into it to get a little insight as to why I'm making this story.**

 **I hope you enjoy this, and I hope I don't mess it up for myself.**

 **Be on the lookout for the next chapter of "Love is Weird." As always, so long for now.**


	2. Excessive Use

A few months have passed since Pearl's first encounter with Sadie and marijuana. She was now fifteen, and had a part time job at a small grocery store. She was also able to keep this job because after her finals, she had been instructed by her teachers that they had requested Pearl skip passed tenth grade straight to eleventh. Though, she didn't want to leave what little friends she had behind, so she asked to hold off until next year to skip while she worked. The school board accepted these terms wholeheartedly. She believed that ever since then, her life has gotten much better.

She was able to take her mother's punishments more easily, but they grew to be less and less frequent. They were less frequent because Pearl was all too happy to do whatever she was told. She made dinner without complaint, ate what she usually hated with a smile, took on dirty jobs such as cleaning her parents' bathroom, wash the car, unclog sinks of hair. Pearl did all of this without any hesitation.

Pearl's job was easy to handle as well. All she had to do was sweep the floors during closing, very occasionally man the cash register, count money to make sure none was being stolen by any of the other staff. Simple stuff.

Most of the money she earned was taken by her mother. The woman claimed it was to help her husband, ease some of the burden from his shoulders. Pearl knew that was a fake reason though. Her mother just wanted the money for herself.

But the money her mother doesn't know about, the money that Pearl hides in her worn down shoes, goes to Sadie. The weed she gets from the blonde woman is what keeps Pearl sane.

It's not much every time she pays for it, not much at all. A few grams here, an eighth there. Pearl only gets so little so as not to become suspicious to her mother. Just enough to get her high, but not enough to impede her actions. Just enough to make her giddy, not enough to redden her eyes. Too much would alert her mother, too little would return her to the hellhole she called her life.

Another thing about having a job was that she was able to stay away from her home for a while, with a good excuse, too. Her workplace was a lot more forgiving than her parents. Especially since drug tests weren't required.

At the moment, Pearl is whistling while scrubbing the bathroom toilet of the little store she worked at. She wore a black tee shirt and some jeans from a thrift store as her uniform. Her mother wouldn't pay for anything more than that. Her boss, Kofi, had instructed her to clean the bowl after every customer who used it, to decrease the possibility of any diseases being spread. You never knew who could have gonorrhea, and Kofi did _**not**_ want to get sued. He could barely keep his store running as it was.

"Pearl!" Kofi yelled after opening the door to the bathroom. He was a tall, dark skinned man, and wore a black button up shirt tucked into khaki pants, his long, black hair pulled into a bun.

"Yes Kofi?" Pearl answered without turning around. She was almost finished cleaning the toilet.

"You're getting a raise."

Of all the things Pearl was expecting, it wasn't this. She did turn this time, a shocked expression on her face. "Really?"

Kofi nodded, smiling widely. "Ever since you started working here, your amazing personality has brought more customers to my little business than ever before. You've earned it."

"Wow.." Pearl whispered under her breath, not able to hide her smile. She quickly stood from the ground, leaving the toilet brush in the bowl. She was just so.. happy. She wanted to do something, anything to show her appreciation, but she had no idea what to do. Pearl stood there, twiddling her thumbs as she tried to think of a way to thank her employer.

"Keep up the good work." Kofi stated, turning to leave the bathroom.

Pearl didn't want to leave it at that. She looked up to see the door closing, and panic rose within her. "K-Kofi!" She called.

Kofi stopped before the door completely closed. He poked his head back in the door. "Yes Pearl?"

What was she going to say now? Pearl had no idea. She decided that thinking wasn't going to help her. So instead, she let her instincts take over. "May I hug you?"

The man's eyebrow raised, and Pearl wondered if she had said the wrong thing. Would he berate her? Punish her? She suddenly felt scared, averting her eyes with a blush.

"Just so we're clear.." Kofi started, stepping back into the bathroom. He crossed his arms as Pearl looked back at him to listen to him speak. "..relationships between employees are strictly forbidden, not to mention your age. If you have some romantic interest in me.."

"Oh, no no no!" Pearl rejected Kofi's accusation quickly. "I don't like you like that, I just.." She paused, sighing as she gripped her arm. "I thought it would be a nice way to thank you."

Kofi laughed, his foreign accent making his laugh seem even more cheerful. "Is that all?" He asked, opening his arms for the teenager.

Pearl immediately brightened, practically running into her boss' arms. She sighed as she wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. When Kofi's arms held Pearl, his touch tender, kind, she sighed again.

 _This is what having a father feels like._ She thought.

* * *

Pearl's shift came to an end. The fifteen year old still had a couple of hours before she had to return home, so with extra cash in her pocket, she made her way to Sadie's apartment. She also decided not to tell her mother about her raise. More money for weed, she reasoned.

Walking down the street, she looked around. A person was taking a jog while walking her dog down the street. A couple was displaying public affection in an alleyway. A man held his son on his shoulders as the boy ate his previously bought ice cream. Pearl smiled. This world outside of her own was truly a happy place.

Pearl found herself at the steps leading up to Sadie's apartment complex before she knew it. She climbed the steps and opened the panel beside the door to reveal a number pad. She typed in the number Sadie had given her and waited for a response.

Almost instantly, a buzzing was heard, then came Sadie's voice. "Miller here."

"Hey Sadie." Pearl greeted cheerfully. Then she bent down to whisper into the box. "I got a raise. Big Donut." That was the password Sadie decided on whenever Pearl wanted to purchase from her. As soon as these words were spoken, the door buzzed, and Pearl was allowed into the building. She entered and began climbing the stairs passed the reception. Sadie wanted to stay away from as many people as possible in case she were to ever get caught, so she lived at the top floor. Pearl didn't mind. It was good exercise.

When Pearl reached Sadie's door, before she even raised her fist to knock, it opened and Pearl was pulled into the room.

"Congrats, kid!" Sadie said, having wrapped her arms around Pearl in a crushing hug. Pearl laughed and let the shorter woman let it out.

"Thanks, Sadie."

Sadie let go of Pearl and took a step back, smiling up at her teenage client. "Big Donut, huh? You sure you wanna be spending that extra cash so soon?"

"Oh, don't worry about me." Pearl said, walking further into the apartment. She sat on a small couch, pulling off her right shoe as Sadie closed the door. From her shoe, Pearl pulled out a rather large wad of cash, earning an impressed whistle from her dealer.

Sadie sat beside Pearl, eyeing the money in Pearl's hands. "Damn, where'd a girl your age get that kinda cash?"

"You remember all those quarters I used to buy my blunts until I got a job?" Pearl asked, and Sadie nodded. "I can save money better than you can suck your boyfriend's dick."

"Ooh, such a potty mouth." Sadie teased, lightly punching Pearl's arm. "Next thing I know, you're gonna be teaching me how to swear."

Pearl smirked and placed her money on the coffee table. "I can only dream. What do you have for me?"

Sadie picked up the money from the table and counted through the bills. It was mostly fives, but there were a few tens and even a twenty thrown into the mix. Sadie pulled the twenty from the mix, holding it for Pearl to see. "Your raise?" Pearl nodded. Sadie smiled and counted a couple of tens from the cash, tossing those bills in Pearl's lap. "You keep those. Gotta give your mom something, right?"

"Oh shit, you're right." Pearl snatched the tens Sadie let her keep, placing one in her pocket and the other in her shoe before putting it back on her foot. "Thanks, Sadie."

"You're a regular, P." Sadie counted the rest of Pearl's cash. She smiled at her client and stood from the couch. "Tell you what. Let's go get high together."

"What, you're serious?" Pearl asked with a half hearted laugh. Since they've done business together, Sadie has never once smoked in front of Pearl. "I thought you were just a dealer, not a user."

"Girl's gotta party some time." Sadie laughed and pulled Pearl from the couch, leading her to a different room. Her room.

When they entered, Pearl was surprised to see how baren it was. White walls, no bed, just a couple of big bean bag chairs in the middle of the floor. Beside these chairs was a single glass bong, already ready with some crushed weed in its bowl. Pearl smiled at the sight. "I've heard about those." She told Sadie, pointing at the bong in the floor.

"Oh they're great. Cleaned it just yesterday, too." Sadie lead Pearl to the bean bags and practically shoved her down into one.

It took Pearl a second to recollect herself after being pushed to a sitting position. Sadie plopped herself down in the chair across from Pearl, pulling a lighter from her black sweatpants. "You want the first hit?"

"I've never used a bong before." Pearl stated, but she was sure that Sadie knew that. The older woman was just teasing. Pearl could tell by the way Sadie smirked.

"I'll walk you through it." She offered, grabbing the bong from the floor and holding the mouthpiece close to Pearl's mouth. "I'll hold it and light it for you. You'd probably drop it since it's like, an instant high."

"What do I do?" Pearl's previous nervousness all but vanished. If Sadie was going to help her, she had no need to worry.

"Don't put your mouth on it." Sadie instructed. "Put your lips in it. Act like you're trying to open your mouth, you know, to keep the smoke in. Start inhaling as soon as I light it, alright? But do it slowly, and breathe out as soon as I pull it away."

Pearl nodded, all too eager to see what the big deal of the bong was. She had read online, when her parents were both gone and she could sneak on the computer, that the water in the bong cooled and filtered out most of the harmful side effects one would normally get smoking a joint. That was just fine with Pearl. That's the reason she was so hesitant to smoke in the first place, but now.. she was excited. So in her excitement, she puckered her lips, placed them in the mouthpiece, and gave Sadie a thumbs up.

"Alright." Sadie was excited for her client. She knew this was going to be a hell of an experience. With her left hand, she held the bong. With her right hand, she ignited the lighter, and Pearl did as she was instructed. Slowly, she filled her lungs with the smoke that accumulated in the bong. It was already getting difficult for her to keep breathing in, but she didn't care. The effect was instant.

Pearl's eyes glazed over, feeling the pleasure that came from the smoke. Her vision changed dramatically, and quickly too. She could appreciate what she normally wouldn't in the texture of the carpet, she could hear the light bubbling of the bong. She almost laughed at the sound, even. But she had to keep inhaling.

It felt like forever before Sadie finally pulled the glass away from Pearl's mouth, and like instructed, Pearl let out the smoke she had inhaled. Slowly, she steadied her breathing, sinking back in her bean bag chair with a goofy grin on her face.

"You're cute when you're high, kid." Sadie commented, lighting the bowl for herself now. Pearl watched Sadie inhale her smoke, the odd compliment going right over her head. Not long after she started, Sadie pulled the bong away from herself and set it in the floor, blowing her smoke out in rings. Pearl giggled at the little show she got, easily amused under her high.

"How old are you?" Pearl asked Sadie, who was mimicking Pearl's position in her own chair.

"Like.. Twenty-six." Sadie answered, counting up the months in her head. Her birthday hasn't come around yet. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious." Pearl replied nonchalantly. "I guess since I told you my age, I'd ask you."

"You still mad I thought you were twelve?"

"I got over it."

The two sat there for quite a while, just enjoying each others company. Pearl rested with her hands over her stomach, staring at the ceiling. It was just so interesting to her now.

Sadie stood from her chair. Pearl looked up at her dealer, who's eyes were bloodshot. "Gonna get some chips. You want some?"

"I don't like eating." Pearl answered. Sadie looked appalled, but it was true. Whatever Pearl ate, it just felt like goop in her mouth. She probably grew to feel like this because of all of the disgusting food she was forced to eat during infancy.

"You're not like, bulimic, are you?"

Pearl laughed. She brought a hand to her forehead, laughing at Sadie's absurd accusation. Sadie would have been mad, if the laughter weren't contagious. The older woman doubled over herself, falling in the floor. Much like the internet slang, she rolled on the floor, laughing her ass off.

The two laughed and laughed and laughed, for something that seemed like an eternity. Pearl loved this. She loved laughing with her friend, she loved being high. As her laughter died down, and she watched Sadie continue to convulse in laughter, Pearl realized something.

She wanted more.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **This story is starting off a bit slow, I know. It'll definitely pick up the pace in later chapters, though.**

 **Be on the lookout for the next chapter of "Hell Hath no Fury."**

 **As always, so long for now.**


	3. Smile

Pearl once again rests in a bean bag chair in her friend Sadie's apartment. Her arms hung lazily over the sides of the chair, a recently used bong resting on the floor beside her right hand, a lighter on her left side. These items along with the whites of her eyes a slight shade of red, it was not hard to figure out what Pearl had just done.

A few weeks have passed since her first hit with Sadie, and since then, she visited her blonde friend every week after getting her paycheck. The raise Pearl received from Kofi helped her tremendously with her habits. Even though she could buy herself new clothes with her raise as well if she wanted to, Pearl decided that spending so extravagantly would raise suspicion with her mother, so she remained in her stained white tank top, blue shorts, and tanned sandals.

Pearl stared at the ceiling, a small grin on her face as she waited for Sadie to return from the corner store she said she was going to. Pearl had asked Sadie if she wanted to join her in the "fun", but Sadie refused, claiming she was busy today. What kind of business Sadie had to do, Pearl had no idea. She just knew that she was in love with this sensation, and it's affected her life tremendously.

Pearl's home life had improved. Her mother's punishments came less and less often, until they almost stopped entirely. Pearl thanked the weed. With her having this release, Pearl acted even more obediently than ever before. Pearl did the dirty jobs she would normally be disgusted with wearing a smile on her face, and more efficiently too. Whether it was repairing her father's vehicle, or unclogging the hair from the family bathtub, Pearl never complained, nor did she even show disgust in her facial features. Pearl had even given her mother advice, commenting that if she were put on a multivitamin diet, she could survive entirely on water and it would save money for the family. A few pills or gummies a day, just ten dollars a jar every few months. Originally, Pearl's mother did not even want to humor the thought, but after doing some research of her own, she found her daughter's suggestion to be satisfactory.

"Thank you, Pearl."

Those were the first words of praise that Pearl had ever heard from her mother. Pearl wanted to wrap her arms around her mother in a hug at the time, but she refrained, knowing that she would be severely punished for acting out. So Pearl stood there instead, nodding in response. She would have to celebrate on her own terms later in Sadie's apartment.

This brings Pearl to where she is now, sighing happily as she thought of nothing. Literally nothing crossed the teenagers thoughts, her only state of mind was that she was existing. To be, and just _be_ put Pearl in such a relaxed state that she was sure nothing in this world would disturb her. This elation came to her every other week, if she was lucky. But every time Pearl spoke the password to Sadie, every time she inhaled the smoke of the marijuana, every single time she felt as if her bones were melting inside of her, Pearl knew that she would never want to live any other way.

Well that may not be true. Seeing and feeling the results of her constant state of happiness made Pearl wonder what it would be like to try more than just cannabis.

So deep was Pearl in her nonexistent thoughts that she hadn't realized when Sadie returned from wherever she went. The only indication Pearl had that her friend had returned was when Sadie lightly pushed Pearl's shoulder.

"I hate to rush you, kid. I mean, you still got a good hour." Sadie started, only removing her hand from Pearl when the teen turned her head to acknowledge Sadie. "But Lars is coming over soon, and things are gonna get pretty messy, if you catch my drift."

Lars was Sadie's boyfriend. He was much taller than Sadie, thin and lanky. Pearl had met Lars before, but she did not particularly like him, though not because of his personality. Sure, Lars could be selfish at times, but it was clear to Pearl that he truly loved Sadie. He could provide for her, and treated her nicely, at least to Sadie's descriptions. The thing that bugged Pearl about Lars was his ridiculous haircut and donut sized gauges in his ears. Pearl didn't understand why Sadie made "Big Donut" their code until Pearl met Lars.

Pearl giggled lightly at Sadie's obvious innuendo, staring up at the older woman with glazed over eyes.

"So you went to the store to buy condoms?"

"Yeah." Sadie said, taking a seat in the bean bag chair across from Pearl. "He always "forgets"." Sadie used air quotes to indicate her sarcasm.

"That's typical of guys, right?" Pearl asked, having only heard of that stereotype through media.

"Well it's typical with Lars." Sadie replied, resting her chin in her hand. "I've dated a few guys that were good enough to remember protection. Condoms, spermicide, stuff like that."

"That's so weird." Pearl said, sinking further back in her chair, shifting her attention to the ceiling. She thought about what it would be like, to have sex. Pearl has never really had a crush on a boy before. If Pearl ever did like anyone, she doubted it would be a man. Just the thought that she could get pregnant, even through the preparations she would take scared her. Not just with the fact that Pearl would go through the trouble of birthing another human, or that she would have to raise that child, but she was afraid for the child itself.

Pearl was not healthy by any means, but that only applied to her inner form. She only ever drank water took multivitamins as sustenance, so her organs were basically at war with themselves in an attempt to account for the lack of food intake. Not to mention her body was a lot more thin than most other people. If Pearl was to ever birth a child, she was sure that she would die from the strain. With these thoughts, Pearl found it difficult to find any sort of man sexually attractive, or even romantically. In light of that, Pearl came to a conclusion.

"I think I'm gay, Sadie."

"Alright, I think you've had enough of the glass dick for today." Sadie said, leaning forward to grab her bong from beside Pearl. Sadie stared at Pearl all the while, expecting the teen to burst out laughing at Sadie's joke. But Pearl did no such thing.

"I'm serious." Pearl whispered, continuing to stare at the ceiling. Her expression was one of emptiness, her hands now resting on her stomach.

Sadie slowly realized that the weed smoke Pearl had inhaled had already worked its way through Pearl's system. It was almost unthinkable, really. Pearl's body had already become so accustomed to the substance of marijuana that her "high" didn't last as long.

"Holy shit.." Sadie placed her bong to the side and rushed to Pearl's side, kneeling on the ground beside the teen, taking one of Pearl's hand in hers. The best Sadie could do right now is try and be supportive. "Aw man, Pearl, what made you think this? Was it how you were raised or something?"

"No.. No, I don't think it's like that." Pearl replied, allowing Sadie to grasp her hand. "I've just.. never thought about guys like that."

"But you've had crushes on girls?"

"No." Now that Pearl said it, she did find it silly. Maybe she wasn't attracted to either gender, since she never had a crush on either boys or girls. Well, Pearl had a reason for not being attracted to men. It just wouldn't be possible for her to birth a child with her body, but what was her reason for not being attracted to women? Or was it just that Pearl never found someone to be attracted to? "Am I asexual then?"

"You're still young, you know." Sadie said, in an attempt to clear Pearl's mind. "Don't sell yourself short. I mean, you never know until you try, you know?"

"Did you ever date a woman?" Pearl asked, turning her head to look at Sadie. The curiosity in Pearl's eyes made Sadie feel nostalgic. Sadie felt that it was a shame, that she had to grow up sooner than she'd have liked to.

"I wouldn't call it a date." Sadie answered, standing from the floor and returning to her own bean bag chair. It was clear to Sadie that Pearl didn't need any support. Sadie sighed as she sunk into her seat, smiling as she remembered her little experiment. "It was more like a one-night-stand. Met a girl at a bar after a break up. We were both drunk, she invited me back to her place, and one thing lead to another."

"Did you like it?"

"It was pretty good, yeah. From what I can remember, at least." Sadie gave Pearl a little smirk. "I was drunk, remember?"

"Well I never have been, so forgive me for not knowing the symptoms." Pearl retorted, shooting back her own coy smile. They both laughed, enjoying a little moment of euphoria. But Pearl didn't let it last long. Instead, as her and Sadie's laughter died down, Pearl found it the perfect time to ask her friend about a different type of euphoria. "Do you know where I can get morphine?"

Sadie's expression could only be described as perplexed. So quickly did her joyous and laughing face change form at Pearl's question. But despite herself, and her worry for the teen, Sadie answered Pearl.

"..Yeah. I know just the guy."

* * *

A few days later, Pearl is escorted by Sadie down a lone alleyway.

Pearl would have expected Sadie to try and talk her out of buying this type of drug, but Pearl was surprised when she received no objections. Sadie complied with all of Pearl's requests. Sadie told Pearl exactly when and where to buy the needles and doses Pearl wanted, and even agreed to accompany Pearl for her first time.

Pearl's shoe was filled with money she had been saving just for this moment. After research at the local library, on the internet of course, Pearl discovered that morphine was a lot cheaper than she had imagined it to be. Hundreds, even thousands of dollars filled Pearl's imagination, and she never believed that asking Sadie those things she did would have actually lead to anywhere. But here she was, walking beside the older woman to a door at the end of a closed alley. Pearl felt as if she were in a movie.

"Let me do the talking, alright?" Sadie informed Pearl for what seemed like the thousandth time as they stepped up to the large metal door. Pearl noticed that it even had a slot near the top of it, most likely for the person inside to study the person outside. Just like a movie.

"I _know_ Sadie." Pearl said, rolling her eyes.

"Alright, just making sure, kid." Sadie sighed and, putting on a smile, reached her hand out and rapped her knuckles against the metal door.

The pair stood there for a few minutes, waiting for an answer to Sadie's knock. When none came, Pearl asked Sadie a question in a hushed voice. "Does it usually take this long?"

"It depends."

"Should we knock again?"

"Never knock twice, kid." Sadie said, putting her hands in the pockets of her pants. "That's one of his big rules. He's pretty weird about it."

"You still never told me who this guy is."

"He likes introducing himself." Sadie replied with a shrug, and that was that. They waited and waited, for what seemed like hours to Pearl. If it weren't for Sadie standing so patiently beside her, Pearl probably would have given up and gone home long ago. So, since she figured she had the time, Pearl took a look around her surroundings.

Normally, in any sort of alley, there would be an overturned trash can, and litter on the ground. But Pearl found none of these things. In fact, the alley that she and Sadie stood in seemed to be oddly clean. It was as if someone took it upon themselves to clean this specific bit of street every day. If Pearl were to get on her hands and knees, she was positive that she wouldn't even find any dirt aside from that she and Sadie brought in during their walk here. Looking up, Pearl even found that there were no windows to be seen in this alley, not a single pane on all of the walls she and Sadie stood between. It was so weird.

Pearl turned her attention back toward the metal door in front of her when sounds came from the other side. She assumed that the door was being unlocked, but her assumptions were put to rest when the slot in the door was pulled to the side, revealing the deep brown eyes of what looked to be a dark skinned man. Those eyes seemed suspicious at first, but upon falling on Sadie, waving in a greeting, the man's eyes grew bright and joyful.

"Sadie Miller!"

Pearl was surprised that this man's voice was so deep, and seemingly inviting. The slot to his eyes closed, and the metal door was immediately flung open to reveal a tall, bald man who's smile was almost as wide as his whole face. He grabbed Sadie by the hand and pulled her into his irregularly patterned V-Neck, full of circles and triangles overlapping each other. He wore short, grey shorts and tight brown boots. Pearl could hardly believe that this man who's joy could rival Santa Clause was a drug dealer.

"H-hey Mr. Smiley." Sadie greeted the man, struggling to breathe under his grip. "Good to see you again."

"How long has it been?" Mr. Smiley asked, letting go of Sadie and studying her with his hands on his hips. "Almost two years? You don't call, you don't write, it's like you're pushing me away."

"Sorry, Mr. S." Sadie said, rubbing the back of her head apologetically. "I've been pretty busy, getting my life together. I only just got an apartment last year. I'm sharing the rent with Lars, but I should be able to pay it off on my own in a couple months. I mean, we're not living together, or anything." Sadie quickly added at the sparkle in Mr. Smiley's eyes.

Mr. Smiley laughed. "That's a darned shame. You two need to settle down already. So who's your friend?"

Pearl straightened her posture after being acknowledged by the large man. Having Mr. Smiley's attention turned towards her, oddly enough, sent cold shivers up her spine.

"This is Pearl." Sadie said, gesturing toward the teen. "New girl. Wants to try out the good stuff."

"The good stuff, huh?" Smiley put a hand to his chin in thought, his smile never leaving his face. Pearl was starting to get creeped out. "Aren't you a bit young to be making this decision."

"I'm old enough." Pearl answered, and Smiley arched an eyebrow.

"I'm vouching for her." Sadie added. "I've already sold her some of my merchandise. She's been a customer of mine for a few months, now."

"Well, if Sadie's okay with it, I guess I am." Mr. Smiley put his hand out for Pearl to take, which she did hesitantly. "Harold Smiley."

"Oh, that's your real name." Pearl said unconsciously, and was quickly pulled into a laughing hug by the large man.

"I like you already!"

"Umm.. thanks?" Pearl really didn't know what else to say. Pearl felt as if Mr. Smiley was trying to squeeze the life out of her, at least until he let go. Hands on his hips, his smile wide, Mr. Smiley gestured with his head to the inside of the building.

"Let's hook you up then, huh?"

Pearl nodded, and Mr. Smiley turned to the side to allow her and Sadie in the building. Sadie stepped inside first, followed by Pearl. Then Mr. Smiley closed the door behind them with a loud metal clank.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **I'm so sorry for the late update. I have no excuse. I was lazy, and writer's block should not keep me from my work for such a long time. I hope this chapter made up for the wait.**

 **The next chapter coming up is from "Dirty Ambitions". As always, so long for now.**


	4. Frown

"So how old _are_ you anyway, Pearl?" Mr. Smiley asked as he lead Pearl and Sadie down a long hallway. Pearl had expected the interior to be metallic, just as the door at the entrance was. But the hallway was actually wooden, and the lighting made it seem rather cozy. Pearl got the feeling that she was walking down the hallway of a hotel.

"Fifteen." Pearl answered automatically. Smiley let out a low whistle.

"Wow, you are _young!_ " Smiley exclaimed with a laugh.

"That's what I said when she started being my customer." Sadie explained. "She's really smart though. Keeping her habits away from her folks pretty well."

"Don't kid yourself." Pearl scoffed. "You thought I was twelve."

"You thought this girl was twelve and still sold her drugs?" Smiley asked, turning his head toward Sadie.

Sadie shrugged. "Money doesn't make itself, Mr. S."

"Alright, that's fair."

The group came up to a set of doors at the end of the hallway, one metal and one wooden. The metal door was set at the end wall while the wooden one was on the side hallway. Mr. Smiley pulled a rather large key from his pocket, one that looked as if it belonged in a museum. It looked worn, and had a rather large circle where it is held, so one could twirl it around their finger, Pearl supposed.

"This wooden door is where I do all my business work." Mr. Smiley said, using the large key to unlock the larger oaken door. Opening it, he lead Pearl and Sadie into his humble abode.

As she walked inside, Pearl looked around the room. Really, it looked pretty formal. A normal desk with a laptop, pen and paper, a router for the internet. Nothing unusual about that. There was even a mini fridge and a bed on the far side of the wall. It seemed like Mr. Smiley not only did his business here, he lived here.

"Welcome to my place of business." Mr. Smiley said, arms spread wide as he turned to face the girls. "Everything in here is mine. Everything outside this room is no longer my business. You pay me, you get the stuff that makes you feel good, you get out. Clean and simple."

"What about the big metal door?" Pearl asked, poking her head back outside the room.

"Oh you don't worry about that." Mr. Smiley said, gently grabbing Pearl's wrist and pulling her fully into the room, closing the door behind them. "That's just where I execute the folks that screw me over."

"Oh.. Uh.." Pearl really didn't know what to say. Should she run? A sudden wave of sheer terror washed over her as she looked up at Mr. Smiley, his face void of emotion. That is, until he started laughing.

"Oh relax, girl!" Smiley exclaimed, patting Pearl on the shoulder. "That's just where we mix all the chemicals to give you the good stuff. It's a metal door, so if something goes boom, it'll hold up and won't hurt anyone else. The whole room is metal."

"That's... awfully considerate of you." Pearl said, a small smile on her face after her little scare.

"One life instead of many." Smiley said, turning to walk to his desk. He sat in his small office chair and opened his laptop computer. "So what'll it be?"

"Well, um.."Pearl found herself speechless. What'll it be? Did Smiley carry more than just morphine? Should Pearl _try_ more than just morphine? Would more drugs help her feel a better high? She didn't know! That simple question sent Pearl's mind reeling. Luckily, though, Sadie's hand on her shoulder pulled her from her thoughts of confusion. A quick look at Sadie, her gentle smile, and Pearl felt at ease again.

Pearl lifted her foot and took off one of her flip flops. Taped to the bottom of her feet were several ten dollar bills. Pearl took these bills from her foot and set them on Mr. Smiley's desk.

"However much morphine this will get me."

Smiley let out a low whistle at the sight of how much cash this fifteen year old girl had. He took the bills and, counting them, discovered that Pearl was carrying seventy dollars on her person.

"This will get you a couple hundred milligrams." Smiley answered, counting the bills a second time. In the drug business, you could never be too careful. "You want the suppository or the electrical treatment?"

"Uhh.." Pearl face went completely blank. Sadie laughed and lightly smacked Pearl's arm.

"He's joshing you, kid." Sadie then turned to Smiley. "She'll take the pill. The oral one. Needles are a bit too much for her right now, I think."

"I want the needle." Pearl interrupted. Smiley and Sadie observed Pearl, and her face was pretty determined. "I can afford it, so I'll take it."

"You sure?" Sadie asked. "The needle's no joke. Stick it in your arm, it goes right through your blood stream."

"She's right, you know." Smiley added, standing from his desk. His trademark smile had all but disappeared. "You take two hundred milligrams of this stuff at once, there's no telling what could happen. There is a very high chance that you _will_ die."

"Woah, way to sugar coat it, Harold." Sadie said, giving Mr. Smiley a mean look. "She's just a kid you know."

"A smart kid who knows her body." Pearl interrupted, crossing her arms. "I don't eat regular food. I take multivitamins to get all the stuff I need. I drink nothing but water. I'm already pretty set for medical situations."

"Pearl, that has nothing to do with this." Smiley explained. "It all depends on whether you're weak or immune. Some people can take two thousand milligrams a day and still be walking, but other people can overdose on just sixty. I'm not saying I won't give you the needle if you really want it, but I'm giving you a better option. Ease into it. Take the pill."

Pearl didn't answer for a few minutes. Instead, she just thought about what it would be like to overdose. Pearl literally imagined what it would be like to die, doped up on what she had come to love and freeing herself of this horrid world. And she smiled.

"I think I'll take the risk."

"Well, it's your choice." Smiley quickly turned back into his old smiling self. He placed Pearl's money in the drawer of his desk and proceeded to lead Sadie and Pearl out of the room. He turned to the metal door and rapped his knuckles against it three times. Each knock gave a loud echo throughout the hallway.

"Well this isn't creepy at all." Pearl commented.

"Quentin likes his privacy." Mr. Smiley replied, then knocked on the door again. "Hey Frowney, we need two hundred mg's of morphine! Injection!"

"Frowney?" Pearl questioned, and Sadie shrugged.

"Harold Smiley and Quentin Frowney. Believe it or not, they used to do a comedy routine together."

"Like those masks in old timey theatres?" Pearl asked.

Smiley laughed, placing a hand on his hip. "Well I never had someone use that comparison before, but yeah!" He then knocked on the door again, more forcefully. "Come on, Quentin!"

After Mr. Smiley's third attempt at rousing this Quentin Frowney, a slider opened on the door, much like when Sadie had first brought Pearl to the metal door on the outside. The eyes that were revealed let Pearl know that Frowney's name wasn't just a coincidence. It was as if his whole existence was on a set state of depressive being, even his eyelids curved in such a way that they frowned.

"Another soul to be deprived of the joys of life, Harold?" Frowney's voice was low in pitch, and he seemed to be of a British descent. That just made Pearl think this man was all the more depressing.

"Just gimme the drugs, man." Smiley demanded a little impatiently. "We already got paid and everything."

"Does she know what she's getting herself into?" Frowney asked, his eyes turning their attention to Pearl. "She's so young, the poor thing."

"Quentin, she's a paying customer. Already been buying from Sadie for a few months."

"So she's already fallen so far as to misuse medicinal injections so early after cannabis? What has the world come to?"

Without another word, Frowney closed the slot that revealed his eyes. A moment later, below that slot was another, larger slot that opened like when one received mail in cartoons, though much bigger. Through this slot came a tray, carrying a single syringe, a small bottle of disinfectant, a small bag of cotton, and bandages. Smiley took the tray, and the slot in the door closed.

"Always been a weird guy, that Quentin." Smiley commented as he turned, carrying the tray back through the wooden door. Pearl and Sadie followed, Pearl rather eagerly while Sadie just acted as a spectator. But then, Pearl's eager step slowed as she thought of words spoke earlier.

"You said before that the room was made of metal in case something were to happen. So Mr. Frowney's the one that does all the dangerous work?"

"He asked to do it." Smiley replied. He spoke as if he was ready to answer this question from the start. He lay the tray with the supplies on his desk and sat in his office chair. "Quentin, he's.. He's not one of the happiest men alive."

"No kidding." Sadie commented.

"When we started this whole drug trafficking business, he was the one that wanted to make the chems. He's got the doctorate. He's got the skills. And he's the one ready to die in case something goes wrong."

"How can you let him do that, though?" Pearl asked. "Isn't he your friend?"

Smiley sighed. "It's not like I want him to do this. He's a sad man, and really, he'd welcome death as a friend more than me. The way I see it, if anyone were to risk their lives doing something like this, _he_ should be the one to do it. He's the only man on this Earth that I think could die and I'd feel happy for him."

"That makes sense, I guess.." Pearl said solemnly, gripping her arm. Sadie averted her eyes. A moment of silence passed, and then Smiley stood from his chair again.

"Alright!" Smiley exclaimed in renewed vigor. "Pearl, since this is your first time shooting needles, how about you take my chair and let Sadie here walk you through it."

"I'd like that." Pearl replied. Smiley moved out of the way and Pearl made her way to his chair. It looked so much bigger up close. Of course it would, though, with her body compared to Mr. Smiley's large form. She took a seat in the chair and was pleased to discover how comfortable it was.

"You sure you're ready for this, kid?" Sadie asked as Mr. Smiley stepped aside. She grabbed the disinfectant bottle and cotton ball from the tray. She opened the bottle, placed the cotton at the tip, and tipped the bottle just enough to coat the cotton with the liquid, kneeling in front of Pearl. "We can always move down to pills. This is gonna be a hell of a feeling."

"That's what I'm hoping for." Pearl stated excitedly. It was hard to stay still. It was as if her body were preparing itself for the sudden high she was about to receive, shaking wildly.

"Well you need to stop shaking, honey." Sadie instructed, though she couldn't keep the smile from her own face. It was cute, seeing Pearl so excited. She gripped Pearl's arm and tuned it wrist up, rubbing the disinfectant coated cotton on her arm where a vein was most clearly visible. "You know, even I've never taken a dose this big."

Pearl took a breath, trying to steady herself. "So I'm going to be taking a much bigger step than you ever have, huh?"

"Pretty much, yeah." Sadie agreed. After coating Pearl's arm enough with the cleanser, she placed the cotton back on the tray and picked up the syringe. Whether she liked it or not, Sadie was about to be the doorway to Pearl's eternal happiness, or suffering like no other being has ever felt before. Well, plenty of people overdose on drugs, but Pearl _was_ just fifteen.

"Alright.." Sadie gripped Pearl's wrist in one hand, forcing the teen to hold her arm steady while she prepared the injection. "Last time I'm gonna ask you, kid. Back out now."

"Sadie, shut up and stick it in me already."

"I dunno." Sadie said, smirking as she slowly pierced Pearl's skin with the needle. "I don't think I'm a pedophile. I'm gonna keep it slow and steady, alright?"

"..alright." Pearl agreed, wincing at the feeling of the cold metal entering her skin. It didn't really hurt, but it was definitely uncomfortable. Then Sadie put a little pressure on the plunger of the syringe. Pearl's discomfort quickly turned into a feeling of euphoria. Pearl sank back in Smiley's chair, forcing Sadie to keep Pearl's arm in a tighter hold. "Oh wow.."

"I barely even started, kid." Sadie said with a laugh. Just millimeters passed the starting point, not even one fourth of the syringe had been emptied. Sadie continued to pump the feel good liquid into Pearl's veins, and every second that passed by made Pearl feel as if she were drifting further and further into a sea of bliss.

Seconds pass, then minutes. Pearl's smile continued to grow wider and wider, until Mr. Smiley was afraid that his name would be taken by a fifteen year old girl.

"Well she doesn't seem like she's dying, that's a good thing." Smiley commented as Sadie finally emptied the syringe of the drug, pulling the needle from Pearl's arm. She quickly grabbed the cotton ball and wiped Pearl's skin again, then started wrapping her arm in bandages.

"Yeah, kid's a trooper." Sadie replied, tying the bandages into a knot around Pearl's arm. "Got a hell of an immune system. Even her bong hits started wearing off after thirty minutes." Smiley let out a whistle of surprise.

"Wow, that's quicker than most adults that get used to the stuff."

"Tell me about it." Sadie stood up from in front of Pearl and observed her work. Pearl's whole face screamed pleasure. Sadie was positive that if she were to shoot the teen in the foot, Pearl wouldn't feel a thing. "It takes me a couple of hours to come down from it."

"Well I'm certainly glad she seems happy with her purchase." Smiley said with a laugh. "She might just end up being my most valued customer."

"I'm in heaven.." Pearl said, her voice practically dripping with the pleasure she felt. Sadie and Smiley smiled at Pearl, glad that no real harm seemed to come to her body.

"Mm, Smiley.." Pearl started. She tried to stand from her chair, but only fell back into it, giggling like a little girl with a new toy.

"What is it, little lady?" Smiley asked, amused by Pearl's antics, crossing his arms. Sadie had to hold back a laugh, rather amused herself. That was, until she and Smiley heard the words that came from Pearl next.

"When I get enough money.." Pearl started, looking up at the ceiling as if looking at some divine being. "..can I get a little bit of everything?"

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter to "Pearl's Rejuvenation." It's pretty fun, writing goody two shoes Pearl all doped up on the good stuff. If you have any questions, or just wanna talk, I'll be happy to answer you.**

 **Also, I couldn't help but put Mr. Frowney in this after Future Boy Zoltron. Hope you liked his appearance. xD**

 **Be on the lookout for the next chapter of "Dirty Ambitions." As always, so long for now.**


	5. Lost and Found

Pearl's descent into becoming a drug addict was quick, almost too fast to notice. Even Sadie, the one who had promised to make sure her young friend would stay safe, failed to notice Pearl's change. Perhaps it was because Pearl was so used to hiding herself from her parents. She mastered the art of expelling emotion from her expression. She could smile when she was sad, she could force tears to her eyes to make people feel pity for her. She would never tell Sadie this, but Pearl even manipulated Sadie into doing certain things for her. It was odd what one could master when their entire life was a living Hell.

Even so, Pearl's Hell was morphing into an ecstatic Heaven. The morphine that coursed through her veins made her feel incredible. The mushrooms she practically inhaled showed her things that she could only see in her dreams. The methamphetamine she ingested brought her to such a high and gave her such a spurt of energy that no matter how badly the negative side effects affected her, the morphine and other different drugs forced that anxiety to shrivel into nothing more than a passing thought.

Pearl sat in her home, in her room and on her bed. She wore her usual dirty tank top and shorts that had become ripped from circumstances within her work at Kofi's. She stared at the blank, dirty wall in front of her, her mind emptied of all thought and existence. Now sixteen years old, she had just done the worst thing that she could have possibly ever done in her life; Pearl yelled at her parents.

* * *

Now, to those wondering what lead up to these events, it's quite simple. Pearl became a regular of Harold Smiley, buying different drugs from him every week, experimenting with the different effects and what she thought worked best to give her the most euphoric high. Of course the nice man was against selling all these different things to the young girl, but she had the money. He couldn't refuse her.

Over time, Pearl became... odd. Her personality hadn't changed, but her actions did. Pearl had become less discreet, carrying her needles and bags of drugs in a plastic Walmart sack she had picked up from the street. Sadie had warned her against doing so, but Pearl just didn't care, as if she didn't understand why she would be arrested for possession if they made her feel so good. It had gotten to the point where Sadie and Pearl were walking down the street, and in public, the teen asked her friend if she had any weed left back at the house. Of course the people around them played Pearl's actions off as a prank because no one in their right mind would say something so ridiculous out loud. Sadie, however, became furious.

When they returned to Sadie's apartment, the blonde woman turned on Pearl as soon as the door was closed behind them. "What the _fuck_ was that?!" This was a question Pearl didn't have an answer to, nor did she understand Sadie's rage. From that point on, Pearl was banned from Sadie's apartment. They were no longer friends. Sadie reasoned that it would be beneficial to both of them if they grew some distance from each other.

On her return home, Pearl's mind went over the many possibilities of why Sadie would be so mean to her. Were drugs really so bad? Why were these wonderful miracles of nature so destructive, so taboo? They made Pearl feel good, much better than she had ever felt in her sixteen years of life. So lost in her thoughts when she had returned home that she didn't notice her mother order the dishes to be cleaned. She didn't notice when her mother raised her voice at her, nor when her father took his feet off of the coffee table, preparing himself to scold Pearl. The only thing Pearl noticed when almost to her room was her mother's hand on her shoulder, in clear demand to not ignore her. Pearl's first mistake was her response to this.

"Don't fucking touch me."

Pearl shrugged her shoulder to rid herself of her mother's grasp, turning her head to glare at the older woman. She instantly realized her mistake. The expression on her mother's face, one of utter disbelief quickly followed by seething rage, made Pearl feel pins and needles in her skin. This is when she made her second mistake, fleeing from her mother as fast as she could to her bed room, slamming and locking the door behind her before her mother could stop her. As soon as Pearl ran, she regretted her decision, sinking to the floor with her back to her door, clutching at her head. She asked herself why on Earth she had to do such a stupid thing. If she had just apologized, even blamed the irritable behavior on menstruation, she might have gotten away with just a few lashes from her father's belt. But after what happened, she had no idea what was in store for her.

When only silence followed, Pearl became anxious. What were her parents planning? Were they waiting for Pearl to leave her room so that they could immediately catch her? Perhaps they were silent on purpose, knowing that this would be more torture to Pearl than any physical pain they could legally inflict. Thus the time passed, and we return to the scene of Pearl sitting on her bed, legs crossed under her, staring blankly at a wall. She stopped wondering when she would be punished. Instead, she decided to enjoy the silence, emptying her mind. Seconds, minutes, hours... Pearl didn't know how long she waited. Though when the dreaded knock finally came to her door, a mixture of relief and dread washed over her.

"Pearl?" Pearl's father spoke from the other side of her door. It was hard to tell whether he was angry or not by the tone of his voice. It wasn't soft, but it wasn't tough either. But Pearl would have rather been yelled at than to hear the words spoken next. "Pack whatever things you have. You're leaving."

Pearl couldn't think of what to say, or do. Her father's footsteps faded away, and Pearl was once again left to her silence. Unconsciously, she did as her father asked of her. Pearl stood from her bed, collected whatever clothes she had, and placed them all in the bag of drugs she hid under her bed. When she left her room, there were no words of spite, or remorse. In fact, her parents seemed to ignore her entirely. They even went so far as to talk bad about Pearl as she was leaving.

"I want you to get a vasectomy." Pearl's mother said to her father. She had her arms crossed, and made an effort to not look in Pearl's direction. "I don't want another disappointing surprise."

"We won't have any of those anymore." Pearl's father reassured, sitting back in his chair and returning his feet to the coffee table. "I told you we should've aborted the first one."

"I assumed I was going to actually love my baby, it's not my fault you don't know how to pull out fast enough."

Pearl had heard enough, stepping out of the house. She could take the verbal abuse, but hearing about her parent's sex life wasn't something she could handle. As she walked away from her home, she didn't look back. As far as she knew, that place wasn't her home anymore.

But now Pearl had a dilemma. Sadie hated her, her parents kicked her out, where was she to go? Her mind raced with all of the places she could live, but she always found an excuse that would make that impossible. She couldn't live with Harold and Quentin because she knew she would steal from them. She couldn't live with Kofi and his daughters because Pearl knew they would find her drugs eventually. Kofi was much more loving then her parents, and that meant he would be more astute. She could try Sadie, but she was certain that her friend would have nothing to do with her after what she said in public, almost ruining Sadie and getting her arrested.

So with nowhere left to go, Pearl decided to be homeless. Well, she was already technically homeless, but she decided to make it official by visiting a soup kitchen. She absolutely despised eating, but her vitamins were left in her old house. She had to get her nutrition somehow.

Pearl walked around Chicago, keeping an eye out for a soup kitchen she could eat at. Of course she's never been to one, so she had no idea what to really look for. A line of bums at a door? A stand in the more desolate parts of the city? She had no idea.

Pearl's walk lead her to stand outside of Concord Music Hall. The outside was fairly small, as if it were an entrance to a popular bar, but looking inside of the glass doors, the interior was much larger than Pearl had originally thought.

There was definitely a bar, but that was just to the side and not the main attraction. What caught Pearl's attention was the stage, and how large the floor was for the audience to stand and cheer. She had never strayed so far from her home or Sadie's before, and seeing such a thing excited her. Without thinking, Pearl pulled at the door handle, opening the door.

The music hall was completely empty, save for a bit of stage equipment on the stage. Pearl could hear a distant conversation, probably the members of the crew that were preparing for a show, but she ignored them. In truth, she had always been interested in music. Whatever little of it she heard in school, or at Sadie's, it gave Pearl a little more of an escape from the thought of her parents. Dancing helped even further. Perhaps she could become a dancer one day; most likely, she'd become a stripper. Being homeless didn't leave a lot for a resume.

Pearl imagined this stage in a different light. She could see herself sliding over a pole, barely dressed and winking at half drunk business men who weren't satisfied by their wives. Perhaps, if she were lucky, she would find a bisexual or lesbian woman to be gentle with her and not catcall. There would definitely be perverts that enjoy her for her small physique. Pedophiles looking for the girl with the small breasts. Oddly enough, the thought of being ogled at like an animal in a zoo didn't bother Pearl.

Was it the after affects of the drugs she took? Maybe it was because she was used to being ignored so much that the thought of being presented for all to see, something different from the norm, appealed to her. Pearl had no clue as to why she felt so... at ease. Maybe it was the drugs, or maybe it was the thought that she was finally free from her parent's ridicule, but at the moment, Pearl just wanted to relish the moment. She was free to be herself, and think for herself, do with her own mind and body as she wished. No one was there to tell her what to do, no one to keep her in check... no one to take her drugs away from her. "Fuck society." She said to herself, running her hand along the smooth sprung floor, covered by a thin layer of plastic wood.

"You know..." Pearl jumped at the sound of another voice. She turned around to see a man standing behind her, hands in the pockets of his hoodie. His hair was bleached, and his clothes were more than a little flashy. The most startling feature about him was his teeth. They looked to be as sharp as needles. "...I was gonna kick you out. We got a gig to prepare for an' all, but I like your thinking."

"Yeah?" Pearl regained her composure rather quickly, smiling at the stranger. Confident. That's what Sadie told her to be when faced with the situation of a first impression. "Being a rock star, it's not a surprise you think that too."

"I'm not the rock star here, kid, I'm the manager." The man held out his hand, which Pearl took after switching her bag around so that she could. "Name's Marty. You want a ticket for the show tonight?"

Pearl shook her head. "Thanks, but I don't have any money on me. I'm kind of a bum now that my parents kicked me out."

"That's harsh." Marty said without a hint of sympathy to his voice. He kept his smile, keeping his grip on Pearl's hand. She still felt calm, and didn't feel threatened, until Marty's eyes darted from Pearl's to the bag she held. "What's in the bag?"

"None of your business." Pearl's voice changed from friendly and inviting to spiteful and antisocial. She wrenched her hand from Marty's grasp and clutched her bag to herself. No one was going to take it from her. "I should go."

Pearl tried to move passed Marty and exit the music hall, but he grabbed firmly onto her arm. "Hey, I'm just- " But he was cut short. When Marty grabbed Pearl, she turned to give him a look so fierce and piercing that he believed if he said another word, he would either end up with a hand print on his face or lose an eye. Neither of those were good for publicity, so he decided the smart thing was to let Pearl go. As soon as she was free, she bolted from the building, not bothering to look back.

Pearl ran and ran, as fast as she could away from that dreaded music hall. She ran until her sides started hurting. After feeling that first sharp pain, Pearl slowed to a stop, doubling over with heavy breath. Now that she was safe from that man, for whatever reason she was running from him, she wondered why. Why had she panicked like that? She wasn't threatened by him, nor was he any sort of scary at all. Her mind wandered and she failed to see that she had run to the middle of nowhere.

When Pearl caught her breath and straightened herself to take a look around her surroundings, she found that no one else was around. The neighborhood around her was desolate, quiet, and not a soul was to be seen for miles; at least of what Pearl could see. She relaxed herself and began to rummage through her bag, wanting to make certain that her needles and pills were still intact.

Of course the pills would stay safe, but the needles were another story. They were thin, brittle, easily bent and broken. As Pearl studied her joy makers, she found that most of them had poked through the plastic bag, luckily remaining unbroken. But with all of the bouncing around as she ran, the syringes were all pretty much emptied. The plungers kept hitting each other, forcing the morphine inside of the syringes out. Pearl did the math and concluded that all of these syringes was just enough to give her a four hundred milligram dose. It wasn't much, but the pills of ecstasy she had would make up for the lack of morphine.

Pearl didn't care if someone came down the street. She didn't care that she hasn't eaten or drank anything for hours. After running so fast, and so far, all Pearl wanted to do was feel good. She sighed and sat herself down in the street, on the curb of a sidewalk. Normally she would have someone to walk her through this, to help her inject herself with the good stuff, but she had seen it done enough times that she believed she could do it.

Setting her bag beside her, Pearl started to pull needle after needle from it. Pearl stuck out her left arm, searching for her vein with her fingers. Once she found it, she stuck herself. One after the other, she emptied the morphine into her system. Sometimes she missed after she began to feel the high, but she would always find her vein again. Fifteen milligrams, forty milligrams, seventy, one hundred and twenty. This continued for several minutes until the last bit of morphine had entered her bloodstream.

Pearl was already smiling, but she had more work to do. She fumbled around in her bag for the pills she wanted, her empty syringes sliding from her lap, forgotten. She didn't need them anymore. She struggled to open her bottle once she found it, but when she was finally able to get the lid off, she tipped the bottle and poured it's contents into her mouth. Of course, already being a little fucked up, Pearl was only successful in getting two or three of the five pills in her mouth, unbeknownst to her. She tossed the bottle away and let herself fall back into a laying position, the back of her head hitting hard concrete.

Pearl could feel a slight warmth on the back of her head. She knew she was bleeding, but she didn't care. Really, it didn't even hurt. It probably should have concerned her, but she didn't want to be concerned. In all honesty, as Pearl lay on the sidewalk, staring up at the sky with an expression of bliss on her face, she just wanted to sleep and forget the world entirely. So she closed her eyes, and waited. She waited for the blissful oblivion that would be known as sleep, or death.

She didn't notice the time fly by. She didn't notice when she was lifted from the ground by soft, caring arms. She didn't notice when she was spoon fed a cup of tomato soup, her throat massaged so that the she would swallow. The only thing Pearl noticed, when she opened her eyes in a warm bed the next morning, was that that was the best sleep she had ever had.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **I liked writing this chapter, and I hope you guys enjoy reading it. If you have any questions about my story or would just like to talk, you can message me here or find me on my tumblr.**

 **Be on the lookout for the next chapter of Dirty Ambitions. As always, so long for now.**


	6. A Healing Start

Pearl looked around the foreign room she had woken up in. It was a rather plain room, beige colored walls barely adorned with any sort of decoration. If Pearl had to guess, this was someone's guest room. Under any other circumstance, Pearl would probably feel frightened. Terrified, even. Waking up somewhere that wasn't your own home, not even remembering how you got to be in this particular position, would normally be quite alarming. But Pearl was still fairly dazed from passing out in the gutter.

There were only a few things from the previous day that Pearl could remember. She definitely remembered being kicked out of her house. Something about a stage, someone trying to take her bag… her bag! She sat up quickly in the bed she lay in, though soon realized that was one of the more terrible decisions she could have possibly made. She clutched at her head, gasping as pain coursed through her body. Her vision became blurred, and she began panicking.

Pearl grasped wildly at her surroundings, doing her best to ignore the pain in her head. She searched frantically, hoping that by some miracle her fingers would wrap themselves around the plastic bag full of her drugs. She needed to be certain that she could have them. She needed to have that comfort that at any moment, should she feel the need to, she could just stick herself with a needle and slip into a blissful respite. Pearl felt her eyes water, and tears run down her cheeks as her search continued to be fruitless. She began hyperventilating, realizing that not only were her drugs not with her at that time, but that wherever she was, the owner of this home knew that she was a user.

"Oh, you're awake!"

Pearl jerked her head toward the sound of the voice and, through her tears, saw a rather tall figure standing in the doorway. The figure seemed to have long, curly brown hair, almost reaching down to her waist. She was definitely a woman due to how her voice sounded. Then again, Pearl didn't want to assume. The woman wore a large, white nightgown with pink slippers around her feet. Pearl shook her head, not even daring to speak as she instinctively grabbed the blankets around her and covered herself.

"You don't have to be afraid." The woman said reassuringly. Pearl felt the bed shift, and knew that the woman had sat at the foot of the bed. "My name is Rose. What's your name?"

Rose was a pretty name, Pearl thought. She shook her head under the blanket, but realizing that Rose couldn't see her, she slowly lowered the blanket. She took a good look at the woman and blushed. Rose wasn't just a pretty name.

"I'm-… I'm Pearl." Pearl introduced herself after a brief pause. In actuality, she didn't want to give out her name so easily. She knew that she didn't have her parent's authority to worry about anymore. Of course, unless this woman wanted to try and take her back to her parents.

As soon as the thought passed, Pearl grew frantic. She lunged forward, forgetting her fatigue and head pain as she grabbed onto Rose's nightgown, desperation clear on her face.

"D-don't bring me to my parents! Please, do whatever you want to me, rape me, torture me, but please don't take me back there, please!"

Rose could hardly believe what she was hearing. This young, obviously troubled girl was begging to not be taken back to her parents, even at the expense of her body. What kind of things could a father and mother, if they even deserved to be called such, could make their own child think something like torture was more appealing than returning home?

"Oh sweetie…" Rose immediately felt sympathy for this girl she picked out of the street. Slowly, gently, she took Pearls hands from her gown and wrapped the young girl's arms around herself, returning the gesture soon after. "I'm not taking you anywhere you don't want to go."

"Thank you." Pearl said through tears, shaking in Rose's embrace. "Thank you…"

Rose allowed Pearl to stay like this for a while. She knew that what one who was hurt needed most was time. Time to themselves, time with a partner, or even time being held by a complete stranger for comfort. She could only imagine the pain this young girl must have gone through. Rose could barely even believe that this was actually happening.

The previous night, Rose had no idea that she would stumble across someone who was in such a state. She was on her way to her boyfriend, Greg's, concert. She would have arrived a few minutes early of course, to give him a few words and kisses of encouragement. But as she walked down the street, Rose came across Pearl. One look told Rose all that she needed, with the many empty syringes and pills strung across the ground. She knew Greg would understand. Rose took Pearl to her home. She cleaned Pearl up and fed her as best as she could. The whole time, Pearl was definitely awake, but she was most likely so high and doped up that she only reacted through outside stimulation.

Eventually, Pearl's shaking subsided. Her breath became steady, and Rose was sure that she had fallen back asleep. Rose slowly let Pearl lay back, covering her with the blanket once again. Rose stood from the bed and sighed. She would come back in an hour or two, and hopefully Pearl would be willing to talk about what happened. She exited the room into the hallway and made her way to the kitchen. There was no use thinking about these things on an empty stomach.

Rose made herself some sausage, bacon, eggs, and biscuits. She heated up some gravy, and even made some scrambled eggs. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, after all, and Rose made plenty to serve at least five people. Of course Rose didn't plan on eating _all_ of this herself. Maybe just most of it… Taking care of and anticipating a conversation with a child who may be a drug addict is stressful, okay?!

Rose sat at her table and prepared three plates: one for herself, one for Greg, and one for Pearl for when she woke. Rose hoped that Pearl wasn't a vegetarian.

"Mr. Universe is hungry!"

Rose heard the call coming from the hallway and couldn't help but giggle. The smell of breakfast never failed to awaken her boyfriend. She felt arms wrap around her from behind and a kiss on the back of her head.

"Mm, good morning, hun." Rose greeted, leaning back in the embrace.

"Good morning yourself." Greg replied, and released Rose to walk to his side of the table. Greg had dark brown hair that easily rivaled Rose's in length. He wore dark gray pajamas, but no shirt. He stretched his arms above his head, yawning as he sat across from Rose and began to serve himself. "That was some concert last night. The place was almost packed! You should've been there."

"I know sweetie, I'm sorry." Rose apologized. "I couldn't make it. I kind of… found a stray on my way there."

"I've been meaning to ask about that." Greg said before eating a mouthful of eggs. "I saw that stray of yours in our guest room when I walked down the hall. Is she okay?"

"I hope so." Rose poked at her food with a fork, not really in the mood to eat during this conversation topic. "It's bad, Greg. I found her in a gutter with empty syringes and pills all around her."

"Oh wow…" After hearing this, Greg also had to put down his fork. "You're serious? I don't wanna assume her age off of looks or anything, but she's definitely still a kid. She must be going through Hell."

"Whatever made her turn to that sort of thing, I want to help her." Rose said this with a stern voice, as if expecting Greg to try and argue against it. He was almost offended at the thought.

"I'm with you." Greg agreed. "That's some nasty stuff. Had to scold Marty about it a few times."

"I hate that man." Rose said in a huff, crossing her arms. "Not only is he a bigot and a hypocrite, he's disrespectful. I can't believe you lasted _this_ long with him, and now you're telling me that you've caught him doing drugs? You have the patience of a saint."

"That can only go so far." Greg admitted. "He's really starting to get under my skin. But that doesn't matter right now. What are we gonna do about the girl?"

"I don't know." Rose said truthfully. "I don't know the first thing about this sort of thing. She's terrified of her parents for some reason, and we can't just drop her off at an orphanage if she is an addict. I think we should ask her what school she goes to and try to encourage her to continue with her studies. Maybe we can look online for addict meetings or something."

"We'll figure something out." Greg said, attempting to sound reassuring. "We're bound to mess up a few times, but It's like I always say: If every pork chop were perfect…"

"We wouldn't have hot dogs." Rose finished for him, a small smile forming in her face. "I know, hun. Thank you."

At that moment, the couple heard a loud crash from outside of the kitchen. Greg stood up so fast that he kicked over his chair, racing toward the sound of the noise, Rose hot on his heels. They stopped at the entrance to the bathroom to see Pearl rummaging frantically through the broken mirror on the ground, having nearly torn down the whole medicine cabinet to get at the drugs inside. Tylenol, aspirin, Nyquil, it looked like she didn't care what she had as long as she could get her fix. Even when the glass sliced Pearl's hands, she only kept looking. The pain would go away when she had her drugs, she reasoned.

Greg quickly grabbed a hold of Pearl and pulled her from the floor, ignoring the glass that cut his feet. He would patch them up later. Pearl struggled against his grasp, scratching at the arms wrapped around her, desperately trying to get back to the medicine on the floor.

"No!" Pearl shrieked. "Let me go! I'll clean your house, I'll make you food, you can fuck me, I need it! I need it I need it I need it I need it I- " She trailed off and stopped struggling, quietly sobbing as she let herself go limp in Greg's arms.

"Pearl?" Rose said in a small voice, not wanting to scare the girl. She stepped forward, slowly, brushing the glass out of the way with her slippers. She looked over the scratch marks on Greg's arms and winced at the sight. He was definitely going to need to clean that up. Rose would not be surprised if she found bits of skin under Pearl's finger nails. Rose gently cupped Pearl's cheeks in her hands, helping Pearl look her in the eyes. "You remember me, right?" It was barely even an hour ago, but Rose was afraid of what could have possibly happened to this young girl's mind.

Pearl nodded, blinking away her tears. "R-Rose…"

"That's right." Rose confirmed, smiling. "The man holding you is my boyfriend, Greg. Greg is going to let go of you now. We're going to sit down and have breakfast together, then you'll tell us everything that's happened, okay?"

Pearl didn't respond at first. She looked around the room, as if truly seeing it for the first time. She looked at the empty medicine cabinet, at the broken hinges, then at the broken glass and scattered pill bottles and toothpaste rolls on the floor. "Morphine." Pearl whispered. She was obviously not in her right mind.

"You want morphine?" Rose asked, and Pearl nodded quickly, grasping at her head in pain. Rose looked around on the floor. She bent down and picked up a bottle of aspirin, and without showing the bottle to Pearl, pulled out two little pills. Rose let the bottle clatter to the floor after she closed it so that Pearl wouldn't see the label.

"Look." Rose said, and Pearl instinctively, obediently opened her eyes. She saw the pills Rose held in her hands and let out a whimper. "This is your morphine, okay? Five hundred milligrams a piece. You can have it with some water, and at least a few bites of something to eat. The food is in the kitchen. Just a couple more minutes, Pearl. You're almost there. Can you make it?"

Pearl nodded, her eyes never leaving the pills in Rose's hand. Of course, she didn't know that it was only ache medicine. Rose gambled that if Pearl took these and felt better later, she might actually want to talk and forget about her addiction, at least for a few minutes.

"Alright. Can you walk? Do you want Greg to carry you?"

"I… I can walk." Rose nodded, and Greg took this as the sign to release Pearl. She staggered at first when her feet hit the ground, but soon found her balance. "Y-You will give that to me, right? You promise?"

"I promise." Rose took Pearl's hand in hers, running her thumb across the back of Pearl's hand. "Just a few more minutes." Rose turned her head toward Greg. "Sweetie, can you patch up her hands? I know you're hurt, but- "

"You don't have to ask me twice." Greg reached up and grabbed a wash cloth from on top of the medicine cabinet. He didn't think Pearl was in a state to handle peroxide or alcohol, so he just ran the cloth under some cold water. Thought Pearl was definitely quick with her hands while moving through the glass, none of it was very deep. She's lucky that none of the shards got caught on the tile under them, or else they might be making a trip to the emergency room. Greg gently wiped the blood from Pearl's hands then proceeded to wrap them in bandages that he found on the floor. It was barely a minute before he was done with the whole process.

"Thanks, sweetie." Rose said, kissing Greg's cheek. Under other circumstances, Pearl would have giggled. All she could manage was a small smile at the sweet sight. Before she knew it, Pearl was being lead toward the kitchen by Rose, leaving Greg to tend to his wounds.

"I hope you like bacon." Rose stated. She had Pearl take a seat in the chair she previously occupied, picking up Greg's chair from the floor for herself. She lay the aspirin on the table, almost directly I'm front of Pearl. Rose turned her back to fix a glass of water for her guest, and when she turned around, she saw that Pearl was visibly sweating, her eyes glued to the two little tablets on the table. Rose sighed, placing the water next to Pearl.

"You can take them now, but be sure to drink the water too." Rose was not sure that Pearl even heard the second half od that sentence. As soon as Rose gave the all clear for taking the pills, Pearl practically dove for them. She almost knocked her water over, sitting back in her seat and shoving the pills down her throat, desperate for some sort of high.

Rose hated this… She sat across from Pearl and watched as the younger girl almost chugged her water, hoping the liquid would dissolve the pills faster and make the effects more potent. Who or what could have possibly driven such a young thing to this point?

"Do try to drink more slowly, please." Rose requested. Pearl took the cup away from her mouth to take a breath, already more than half empty. But, respecting her host, Pearl set the rest of her water down. "Are you alright?"

"I…" Pearl hesitated. She almost answered purely on instinct. She wanted to say "I'm fine, you have nothing to worry about." She wanted to lie, to tell this woman in front of her that everything would be okay. Pearl wanted to escape, wanted to leave Rose's home. She wanted to run from the chair and out the door, to save this nice woman the trouble of having to handle her habit. Her addiction. But Pearl knew better. She knew that if she were to run now, anywhere, she would end up dead. Sitting in this kitchen, Pearl realized that she was free from all of her previous troubles.

Pearl's parents would never hurt her again. She would never be threatened, beaten, yelled at, none of any of the things Pearl had grown accustomed to. Pearl was free from her parents. She was free from Sadie. Free from her part time job. But her new prison, Pearl knew, was so much worse.

"I don't know." Pearl continued, clasping her hands together. "I… I tried pot first. Marijuana. It made me feel so good, so- so free! I got a job where drug tests weren't a requirement and I used my pay to buy more weed. My mother took most of it, but I hid what I needed in my shoes. My dealer, she… she introduced me to morphine. Well, she introduced me to the person who made it. In a lab."

Rose wanted to interrupt, tell Pearl how dangerous being in such a place was, but she guessed that Pearl knew the risks already. So, she stayed quiet. Pearl continued.

"I… I sat in a chair. My dealer is the one who helped me get my first dose, and I felt amazing. It was so- so fucking amazing." Pearl hugged herself, and her nails would have scratched at her skin if they weren't covered by bandages. Rose thought the language was unnecessary, but again, didn't interrupt. "I wanted more, so much more. I came back. I asked the guys that made the morphine to sell me more stuff. Meth, cocaine, Xanax, any sort of prescription pain medication, whatever I could get my hands on. It made me feel so good, I felt like I could do anything!" Pearl looked away from Rose, feeling a slight tinge of guilt. "I told off my mom. Told her not to fucking touch me when she grabbed my shoulder. I ran. Dad told me to leave the house after that. So I left."

Pearl paused her story to drink the last of her water. Talking for a long time can leave one parched. Rose took this moment to contemplate all that Pearl had told her up to this point. Pearl was very careful to not mention her dealers by name. Perhaps she didn't want Rose to search around and get then arrested. Rose thought that was admirable of Pearl, despite knowing that these are bad people. Of course, in Pearl's eyes, they were an escape.

Rose thought about where she had found Pearl. Maybe if Rose did investigate, she'd be able to find the general area in which Pearl was buying her drugs. It would take a few days, but Rose knew it could be done. She was snapped out if her thoughts when she heard Pearls glass being set down, a dull clink filling the silence.

"Anyway…" Pearl continued. "I left and started wandering. I think I stumbled around the Concord Music Hall, and there was this guy there. Started talking, said he was the manager for the band performing there."

"Was he tall?" Rose asked. "Bleached hair, toothy smile?"

Pearl nodded. "Yeah, how'd you know?"

"His name's Marty. He's my boyfriend's manager."

"Well the dude's a dick." Pearl said flatly, crossing her arms again. This wasn't new information to Rose, though she was interested in the circumstances to make Pearl believe so.

"Why would you say that?"

Pearl scoffed. "He's a creep, first if all. Offered me a ticket for the show, but I didn't have any money. Pretty sure he would have tried to get me to blow him if he didn't try to grab the bag I had."

"Your bag of drugs?" Rose asked for confirmation and Pearl nodded, though reluctantly. At this point, Greg returned to the kitchen, most of his arm covered in small Band-Aids.

"Hey kiddo." Greg greeted Pearl with a smile. Pearl looked away from him, ashamed of what she'd done.

"We were just talking about your show, hun." Rose said. Greg grabbed an extra chair they kept by the wall for guests and took a seat beside Rose across from Pearl.

"Oh really?" Greg wrapped and arm around Rose, kissing her cheek. "You mean like how you missed it? Oh I loved that part!"

"Stop it!" Rose scolded, but knew it was all in good jest. "Pearl had a run in with Marty."

"Nothing good, I assume. "Marty can be a jerk sometimes."

Pearl scoffed. "Call him what he is: an asshole."

"How old are you?" Rose asked, seemingly out of the blue. Pearl could guess why. She narrowed her eyes at the woman.

"Old enough to swear, and apparently young enough to get fucking scolded by a stranger even when she found me pumped full of drugs in a gutter."

"Perhaps I should rephrase that question." Rose kept calm under Pearl's judgement. Greg kept quiet, not wanting to get in between this conversation. "What grade are you in? What school do you go to? When do you think you'll be able to continue your studies?"

"I can't go back to that school." Pearl stated flatly. "Parents kicked me out. They're probably telling the school board that I'm a druggie or something."

"Well they won't be lying, even if they don't know it." Greg commented, earning an elbow to the ribs from Rose.

"Either way, you need an education." Rose said, adamant. She certainly wanted to give this young girl hope. "I'll be your legal guardian from now on. We'll enroll you into a school different from yours, and you'll go to a group therapy session on weekends. Is that alright?" Rose wished they could have had more time to plan these things out. To actually get Pearl the help she deserved before pushing her back into society. But Rose knew that Pearl's education was just as important.

Pearl hated that idea. She wouldn't mind going to school, of course. In fact, she missed her studies, and believed that if she were to return to an academic environment, it might help her. What she absolutely did not look forward to were the meetings that she would have to go to. It's not like she would be given a choice, considering Rose would most likely kick her out if Pearl refused. The woman seemed nice, but kindness can only go so far. So, instead of arguing or trying to find a way out of this situation, Pearl did what she's always done: submitted to authority with a simple nod.

* * *

 **Author's Note: So I feel like the end of this chapter is a little rushed, but all in all, I like this chapter. I hope you guys do too! Please leave a comment or review, all critiques are very welcome. My PM's are open if anyone wants to chat about my story, or anything, really. Anyway, it's good to be back.**


	7. Trading Bad Habits

Pearl woke up in a cold sweat.

Pearl sat up in the bed Rose and Greg generously let her sleep in. She wrapped her arms around herself, shaking. It was such a sudden feeling. Pearl felt bile rise to her throat, a sudden itchiness that she couldn't satisfy no matter how much she scratched. She rolled around in her bed, her eyes darting back and forth, searching for something that wasn't there.

It was dark in the room, meaning that it was in the middle of the night. Pearl, breathing heavily, took a look at the electronic clock beside her bed. The numbers flashed 1:36 in the morning. Pearl groaned and buried her face into her pillow. Despite the shaking, the overwhelming desire to claw at her skin, to bite off her own tongue, she made a promise to Rose that she would try. But even with as much as Pearl resisted, making herself bleed as she scratched at herself, she knew she had to give in. It felt like an eternity had passed, biting her pillow, tears streaming down her face, her knees pulled up to her face and toes curling the sheets. She took another look at her clock. It read 1:38 AM.

She couldn't stand it. Pearl couldn't possibly fathom how people could live without such releases. She didn't understand how morphine was seen as strictly medicinal when it felt so good, or how cocaine was so expensive when it focused one with such precision. If only these drugs were changed by law, to become over-the-counter items. Pearl would be able to shoe her friends, her mother, her father, her former employer, just how amazing drugs really were.

Pearl looked up at her clock again. 1:44 AM. She scratched at the floor, never having realized that she had fallen from her bed. She couldn't take it anymore. Pearl couldn't wait until daylight. Pearl reached up and used her mattress to help herself to her feet. She neglected dressing herself, only slipping on the new, albeit modest shoes that Rose had bought for her. Wearing nothing but a tank top, shorts, and the shoes on her feet, Pearl made her way from her room and left the house. She was sure to lock the door behind her. Pearl had no key, but she left the window to her guest room unlocked. When she returned, it would be as if she hadn't left at all. Pearl needed her medicine.

* * *

The previous day, Rose and Greg had taken Pearl shopping for clothes. Pearl picked out the simplest, cheapest clothes she could so as not to be any more of a burden to her hosts. Even despite Rose's encouragement, Pearl refused to surpass a certain budget. Later that day, Pearl was sitting in front of a school principal. Rose had called ahead and explained that Pearl was a orphaned, and Rose had become her legal guardian and would like to enroll her. The principal, a tall woman with long, light brown hair by the name of Diamond, requested some paperwork. Rose promised said paperwork within the next two weeks.

During the drive back to Rose's house, Rose told Pearl that she would need to speak with her mother. Pearl protested, begged Rose to not go to such lengths. Rose knew, however, that only the signature from Pearl's parents would allow her to attend the high school. Rose was certain that she would be able to obtain the signatures.

After having dropped Pearl off with Greg at her house, Rose followed Pearl's directions to her previous house. An hour later, Rose slammed the front door behind her as she came home. She slammed the signed adoption papers on the kitchen table and immediately went to her room. Pearl could hear Rose yelling, ranting at Greg.

"Such horrid people!" Rose had yelled. "She was such a bitch! If I ever see her again, I swear I'll kill her, Greg!" Pearl never thought Rose was one to swear. Then again, making one mad enough could certainly change someone's personality.

After such a long day, and meeting such terrible people, Rose felt that a nice bath and some sleep would do her, and Pearl, some good. Pearl agreed wholeheartedly. Throughout the day, Pearl could definitely feel some withdrawal symptoms, but it was nothing she couldn't handle. She had no idea that night would be one of the hardest she had ever experienced.

* * *

Pearl walked down the street, occasionally scratching herself, eyes darting back and forth for any sign of trouble; or any sign of a crumpled, discarded dollar bill. She could only imagine how she looked to anyone else. A teen girl, alone, barely clothed and walking down the street, acting paranoid. She mist have seemed like a _perfect_ target for anyone who would want to take advantage of her.

Pearl had a plan. If she was attacked, she would attempt to make a bargain. She would comply with her attacker's wishes, willingly, without restraint. Only, Pearl would ask for payment in return. If they agreed, then everything would work out. If not, then Pearl would kick and scream, scratch and claw, make as big of a noise as possible to deter an attack and possibly draw someone else to help her.

Of course, there was also the possibility that Pearl wouldn't be attacked. This thought crossed her mind as she passed someone, a young man. Pearl didn't notice him at first, and let him pass without a second thought. Pearl walked for a few more feet before she realized the opportunity she had almost missed.

Pearl turned around quickly, almost stumbling over her own feet. She reached forward and grabbed the sleeve of the man that had passed her. He looked back lazily, uninterested. He had tanned skin, and black hair. He wore a light orange shirt and blue jeans, and purple boots as foot wear. He raised an eyebrow.

"Can I help you?" He asked.

Pearl hesitated. Why was this man out so late as well? She eyed him up and down, and noticed the glowing green bracelet around his wrist. He could have possibly been at a party. Perhaps he was confident enough that the streets were safe enough to walk home by himself? How old was he? Twenty? Younger? Pearl had no idea.

"Yo." The man snapped his fingers, bringing Pearl back to reality.

"I'll suck your cock for twenty dollars." Pearl found herself saying. She knew she meant it too. She watched as the man's expression changed from being slightly annoyed to utter shock.

"Oh, um…" He pulled his sleeve out of Pearl's grasp and rubbed the back of his head. "I mean, that sounds like fun, but I kinda have a boyfriend."

"Oh." Pearl stared at him. She respected that this man didn't want to cheat on his partner, but she was desperate. "I… I'll do him too. Forty bucks. Please."

"I get you're probably in a bad spot." He said, taking his wallet from his pocket. He held out a fifty dollar bill for Pearl to take, and she did so without hesitation. "Just… just pay me back if you ever see me, k? Name's Kevin."

"Pearl." That was all Pearl needed. She turned around and began running, as fast as her legs would carry her, in the direction of Smiley's drug operation. She was practically ecstatic. Not only was Pearl lucky enough to get more than enough money for a few small doses of her usual order, she was able to obtain it without lowering herself. She couldn't believe the luck she had. The one man she offered to give sexual pleasure to, and he was not only faithful, but generous too! Pearl barely remembered his name. The only detail clear in her mind was that his name started with a K. It just happened too fast, and Pearl was obviously not in her right mind.

Though, as she ran, Pearl's heart slowly sank. The closer she came to Smiley and Frowney's operation, the more she felt dread in the pit of her stomach. The worst possible thing that could happen at this specific moment, the worst thing that Pearl could lay eyes upon, we're red and blue police sirens flashing right outside the alleyway to her destination. A firetruck sat beside the police cruisers, and she watched in anguish as they, Pearl assumed, attempted to douse a fire from down the alley. She sat behind a trash can, covering her mouth as she attempted to listen to the police report. Most of the words flew right over her head, but she could make out a few choice phrases.

"- sick in the head, I say. Died with a smile on his face."

"Harold Smiley, you have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and wi- "

"Gonna be hell to get some ID on this guy. Body's burnt beyond recognition."

Pearl felt tears sting at the corners of her eyes. Frowney… That must have been Frowney. That body. Pearl didn't dare try to look. Instead, she sobbed silently into her knees. The worst part about knowing that a… well, she wouldn't call Smiley or Frowney "friends," but knowing that someone she knew was dead, and that someone else was going to prison… she cried because she didn't care. What she cared about, here and now, was that those were the only two hardcover drug dealers she knew in Chicago. She cried because she knew that she _should_ care that someone died, but she didn't. She had no other means to satisfy the itch in her body.

She left the trash can she hid behind, walking in the opposite direction. What was she going to do now? Going back to Sadie was entirely our of the question. Maybe Pearl could find Lars? No, he would tell Sadie about their encounter. She had nowhere to go, nowhere to turn to. She had nothing to help her, nothing to stop this burning in her skin. But then, she thought… did she really have nothing?

Pearl looked around where she had wandered. She didn't recognize the area, but she knew a convenience store when she saw one. It was a twenty-four hour store, and there was practically no one inside. Unconsciously, Pearl entered the building.

Pearl took a better look around she small store. There were several aisles holding candy and snacks, canned foods and bottled drinks, coolers full of beer and other drinks. There were even gasoline tanks for anyone that may need to refuel their vehicle. The man running the counter seemed bored, not bothering to look up from his magazine when Pearl walked in. She walked right up to the counter and placed the fifty dollar bill she was given in front of the man.

"C-cigarettes." Pearl said, trying to sound as confident as possible. She figured that if she couldn't have her usual drugs, cigarettes would make a suitable substitute. Her stutter probably didn't help her much, however.

"What brand?" The man asked. Pearl read his name tag that hung on his yellow shirt. _Jean._ Pearl couldn't help but notice it was an ugly shade of yellow as well.

"I-…" Pearl didn't know. She didn't know that their were different kinds of cigarettes. Her knowledge only ran toward morphine and other drugs. She looked up and behind Jean at all the different brands, wondering which one she should take. At Pearl's hesitation, Jean finally looked up from his magazine.

"I need to see your ID too."

Pearl felt a tinge of panic. She had no identification. She looked back at Jean, and he smirked. He closed his magazine and stood up straight.

"Nevermind." Jean said. "I can tell you're underage. Don't make me have to kick you out, now."

"I'll give you a blow job." Pearl bargained. She was so, so desperate… Jean raised his eyebrows, but his smirk stayed. In fact, it may have been even wider.

"I dunno, kid…"

"Please!" Pearl begged, slamming her hands on the counter. "I'll take all of it! I'll deep throat your cock and let you cum in my mouth, I'll swallow every last drop, just please sell them to me!"

Nothing else needed to be said. Jean raised the counter door that separated cashier and customer. Pearl took the invitation, and once behind the counter, lowered to her knees while Jean unbuttoned his pants.

* * *

Pearl stood in front of Rose's house, taking another sip from the water bottle she had purchased. After Jean had… finished, he was _gracious_ enough to remind Pearl she would need a lighter as well. She only purchased the water to wash the salty taste from her mouth. On her way to Rose's place, Pearl had already smoked more than half a pack of the fifteen she had bought. It helped quell the itching she felt. The cigarettes weren't nearly as potent as her usual medicine, but they would do for now.

Pearl sighed and placed her half empty water bottle in her plastic bag. She entered the house through the front door and made her way slowly to her room.

Now that she was more level headed, Pearl realized that what she had done was truly idiotic. Sneaking out in the middle of the night, trying to find her fix, especially at her age? She's lucky that she wasn't raped, let alone mugged and possibly killed. Pearl entered her room and kicked off her shoes. She looked at her clock. 3:28 AM. Only a couple of hours had passed. Pearl chuckled to herself and pulled her half empty pack of cigarettes from the bag, dropping the sack on her bed. Pearl picked out a cigarette, and pulled her lighter from her pocket. Only when she put the cigarette to her lips, staring outside of her window, did she realize her mistake.

The door was unlocked when she returned.

Light flooded the room, and Pearl reacted just as quickly. She dove toward her bed, grabbing her bag of cigarettes and crawling under her blankets as fast as she could.

"I'm sorry!" Pearl shouted, voice muffled under the blanket. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

"Oh Pearl…" Rose's voice. Pearl knew that at any moment, she would be beaten. Kicked out once again. Pearl was nothing but useless trash, only good for a free maid, for fuck meat. She was only a burden to those around her otherwise, only an annoyance that needs to be kicked to the side. Pearl could barely be classified as a human. She was as insignificant as an ant, and abused as easily as one. She was only-

"Get some rest." Rose said. "We'll talk about this in the morning, then we'll go back to the school with the papers your parents signed. Is that alright?"

Pearl couldn't believe what she was hearing. Pearl could understand how Rose and Greg were so nice to her when she was first found. She would have died in that gutter, and Pearl chalked it up to basic human kindness when Rose helped her. But this situation was different. Pearl had sneaked out of the house, took advantage of Rose's kindness and tried to ignite her habit anyway. All Pearl could muster was an almost inaudible grunt of agreement.

"Alright. I'm taking this pack of yours." Pearl didn't need to look out from her blankets to know that Rose had taken her opened pack of cigarettes. Pearl had dropped it, along with the one that was in her mouth, when Rose had turned on the light. "Goodnight Pearl." The light from behind Pearl's blankets vanished, and she heard Rose close her door behind her. Pearl sighed and pulled her bag close to her, and she began to cry herself to sleep.

* * *

Pearl sat at Rose's kitchen table, poking at her sausage and eggs breakfast with a fork. Rose and Greg were also at the table, Rose across from Pearl, and Greg to her side. Pearl couldn't bring herself to speak first. She knew that if she did speak, she would be interrupted, most likely given a lecture. She had hidden the rest of her cigarettes under her bed, but she knew Rose would go looking. It was only a matter of time.

"Cigarettes, huh?" Greg started. Pearl was almost grateful. "There are worse things to get addicted to."

"Oh hardly." Rose argued. "Nicotine, cancer, lung damage, all of that is pretty awful."

"Hey, compared to what you were on before, this is pretty tame." Greg said to Pearl, pointing his fork at her.

Rose said nothing. She grumbled, shoving a fork full of eggs into her mouth. She really couldn't argue with Greg on that point.

Pearl chuckled. "Well I never blew anyone for coke, so I dunno about that."

"Whoa, what?" Greg stood from his chair, and Rose let her fork drop from her hand. Pearl honestly thought the couple was overreacting. She shrugged, and continued to eat her breakfast.

The silence that followed was short, but deafening. Pearl continued eating as if she hadn't said a word. Greg sighed and sat back down, but refused to pick up his fork again. Rose leaned forward, clasping her hands together.

"Were you forced?"

"Nope." Pearl replied after swallowing a mouthful of sausage.

"Why did you do it?"

"I'm underage. I'm surprised you didn't figure it out last night. How else would a girl my age get so many cigarettes?"

"So many?" Rose repeated.

"Oh yeah." Pearl said, smirking. "I've got about ten more packs under my bed."

"Where did you get the money for all of that?"

"Told a guy in the street I'd suck his dick." Pearl said nonchalantly, and Greg pinched the bridge of his nose. "Had a boyfriend, though. Gave me fifty bucks because he felt bad for me, I guess. Told me his name, but I don't remember it."

"You were lucky." Rose said, her voice seething. She stood from the table and made her way from the kitchen. It was obvious that she was pissed.

"I'd do it again, you know." Pearl said, and Rose paused in the doorway. "When I run out of my cigarettes and feel what I felt last night, I'll do it again. As many times as I need to."

Rose ignored Pearl. She left the kitchen, and that was the end of their conversation. Pearl looked at Greg and shrugged. He sighed and started eating his breakfast again.

"All she wants to do is help you." Greg said. Pearl laughed.

"Fuck her. I never asked her to take care of me. I would've never known if I'd just died in that gutter."

"Maybe." Greg admitted. "But Rose would rather give you the chance to live a happier life than let you just… die without knowing what's out there."

"I know what's out there." Pearl said, a hint of venom to her words. "It's a harsh world full of murderers, rapists, and psychopaths. There's very few people who are actually decent enough to give a shit. My own parents didn't want me, a cashier had me suck his dick even though he knew I was a minor, and the only people on this Earth that _haven't_ screwed me over yet are you guys and my old boss. Given, he would probably fire me if he knew what I was up to. That's how society is, and it's fucked up."

"You forgot that one dude who gave you the fifty."

"I was freaking him out." Pearl brushed off Greg's correction. At this moment, Rose returned and sat down at the table again. She calmly returned to her breakfast, and Pearl continued her rant. "Under any other circumstances, he wouldn't have looked twice at me."

"You're really lucky." Greg repeated Rose's earlier words, leaning back in his chair. "I mean, there's no telling what could have happened."

"If I was raped and killed, it would've been for the better, in my opinion." Pearl looked down at her half finished plate. "I'm just another mouth to feed."

"You're not- " Greg started, but Pearl interrupted him.

"On the bright side, I'm pretty sure I'm gay." Pearl stretched her arms above her head. "Almost threw up a couple of times."

"Oh joy." Rose said sarcastically. "You figured out your sexuality by soliciting yourself for tobacco. Congratulations!"

"Why thank you!" Pearl exclaimed, placing a hand over her heart.

"I hope you're not upset that I destroyed it all!"

Pearl's heart sank. She stood from her chair, knuckles white as she gripped at the table. "What the _fuck_ are you talking about?!"

"Oh, your cigarettes." Rose explained. "I found them under your bed. I took them to the bathroom and left the shower running. They're currently waterlogged and will be impossible to light."

Pearl bolted from the kitchen. She ran to her room and stopped in the doorway. Only a single pack of cigarettes lay on her nightstand beside her clock. She didn't need to see the bathroom to know that Rose was telling the truth.

"You'd better get your fill now." Rose said, having followed Pearl. She turned to look at the woman, and was infuriated to see Rose with her arms crossed and a smug smile on her face. "We're going to the school soon."

Pearl practically growled. She took Rose's offer and grabbed her pack, putting a cigarette to her lips. Before lighting it, she opened her window. Despite everything, and how incredibly pissed she was with her caretaker at the moment, it was still her house. Pearl stood by the window with her cigarette between her fingers, blowing smoke outside.

"You're welcome." Rose said as if to add insult to injury. Pearl ignored her. Rose sighed. "And, you know that I _do_ want the best for you, right? Not counting the last few minutes?"

Pearl took another puff, flicking the butt of her cigarette to get rid of any excess ash outside. She turned to finally look at Rose, a small, nonbelieving smile on her face. "Yeah… I know. Thank you."

Rose nodded and left it at that. She returned to Greg, intending to finish her breakfast. She knew that Pearl didn't believe her, but Rose was intent on turning Pearl's life around.

* * *

 **Author's Note: I** _ **love**_ **this story. Aside from Dirty Ambitions, this and Hell Hath no Fury are my favorite stories to write for. I love writing dark themes, with comedy, tragedy, and witty banter. As always, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Please leave a review!**


End file.
